title: Real-time sonography of pleural opacities.
abstract: Fifty patients with radiographic pleural or pleural-based opacities were examined with high resolution real-time sonographic sector scanning. In 90% of cases selected for thoracentesis, fluid sufficient for diagnosis was obtained. Complex, septated pleural loculations contained an exudative effusion in 74% of the patients, while anechoic areas yielded exudative and transudative effusions with almost equal frequency. The use of real-time scanning is stressed because of greater flexibility and shorter examination time compared to compound scanning, and its utility for portable scanning on critically ill patients.
mesh_terms: D001999:Bronchoscopy; D006801:Humans; D001239:Inhalation; D008169:Lung Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D014463:Ultrasonography